The present invention relates to an improved device and method for connecting a device implanted inside the body of a patient to an external controller.
Thousands of heart patients who suffer from severe ventricular heart failure could benefit from cardiac transplantation. However, because of a shortage of donor hearts, most of these patients have a shortened life span characterized by frequent hospitalizations, severe physical disability, and death from congestive failure or cardiogenic shock, and do not survive long enough for a donor heart to become available.
One medical device developed to aid these heart patients is a heart pump such as a ventricular assist device (“VAD”) which enables heart patients to return to prolonged and productive lives. Heart pumps are typically implanted in the patient and are connected to the left ventricle of the heart. One end of a tube such as a graft is connected to the heart pump and the other end is connected to the ascending aorta or the descending aorta. Once connected, the heart pump pumps blood from the left ventricle to the ascending or descending aorta to improve blood flow.
Most VADs utilize an external controller and power source. An electrical connection must therefore be established across the boundary of a patient's skin between the internal pump and external controller. A typical way to provide this connection is through the use of a percutaneous connector which provides an access way into the patient's body to establish the connection.
Traditional percutaneous connectors include an internal portion and an external portion. The internal portion is implanted into the body and extends through the patient's skin. The external portion attaches to the internal portion to establish the electrical connection. The connection between the two portions must be strong enough to maintain the connection during normal use, but not so strong as to cause patient discomfort when disconnecting the portions. A detachable connector must also be properly aligned to ensure the correct electrical connection is established.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved connector which securely establishes an electrical connection between an internal device and external controller and which provides a detachable connection which minimizes patient discomfort when releasing the connection.